Dr. Kenneth Pierce had an established clinical ophthalmology practice, Veterinary Vision Center, in Shreveport, LA, when he recognized that pets in underserved regions of the United States also needed specialty care. He was inspired to create VESPECON to bridge the gap between veterinary specialists and general practitioners and to expand pet owner access to referrals [...]
Veterinarians rely on diagnostic testing to identify their patients’ conditions. However, accurately interpreting those test results is not always a simple task. Board-certified specialists become experts in evaluating diagnostics relating to their specialty, and radiologists are trained to evaluate imaging studies across all disciplines. Primary veterinarians learn basic diagnostic skills but cannot be expected to [...]
Veterinary clients increasingly consider their pets as family members and demand high-level care to meet their pets’ health care needs. Many people are familiar with specialized medicine from their own health care experience and recognize the value of specialists’ expertise for their pets’ care. However, veterinary specialty access is often limited by geography and practitioner [...]
Veterinary medicine has reached a crisis point. Staff members are leaving the profession in droves, and veterinary care demand is through the roof. Some estimates say our profession must hire thousands more veterinarians and technicians to meet growing needs, while other reports believe these numbers are inflated. In any case, veterinary clinics are feeling the [...]
Primary care veterinarians have a solid understanding of the body’s workings and how to treat pets when they become ill. However, comprehending how the brain works and shapes behavior is a significantly more challenging feat. Veterinary behaviorists appreciate the complex interactions among a pet’s environment, family dynamics, upbringing, training history, and genetics. These veterinary specialists’ [...]
The average veterinarian sees about five neurology cases per month, but refers only one case to a specialist, according to the Collaborative Care Coalition (CCC). A referral decision depends on many client- and veterinarian-related factors, among them financial concerns or failure to properly educate the client on the referral process and benefits. Clients who are [...]
Most veterinarians perform surgery in some capacity, but veterinary surgery specialists perform complex procedures day in and day out. At first glance, a surgeon’s skillset may seem exclusively limited to the operating room, but surgeons are also skilled in other areas, such as orthopedic and sports injury diagnosis and advanced imaging interpretation. An in-person surgical [...]
All veterinarians must master fundamental anesthesia skills, because evaluating pet health and anesthetic risk, crafting an appropriate and safe anesthetic protocol, and contending with complications during surgery are crucial elements of daily practice. However, many general practitioners are uncomfortable going beyond the typical elective surgery and anesthetizing high-risk or critical pets. This is where VESEPCON [...]
Theriogenology is the study of animal reproduction, a discipline that mostly focuses on livestock and equine breeding management, because of its importance for large animal-based businesses. However, a subset of theriogenologists choose to focus on small animals—typically dogs—to improve access to reproductive health care for breeders and genetic health for dog breeds. Healthier pets benefit [...]
Emergency and critical care (ECC) veterinary specialists are a special group who thrive in chaos and challenge. They are masters of their craft who always keep a cool head in a crisis. Our VESPECON consulting criticalist, Dr. Melissa Holahan, has years of experience under her belt and enjoys sharing her expertise to help general practitioners [...]
